Archive By Section - Santa Clarita Valley News
Students stay in school to send positive message
Instead of walking out of school to protest the nation's immigration laws Thursday, Latino students at Golden Valley High School decided to send a more positive message this year. Students in Christina van Langenberg's American government class for English language learners set up a walk-through gallery in the school's library, showcasing the contributions of Latino Americans to society and describing themselves, their career goals and their experiences as immigrants.
Newhall Land's debt looms
Despite speculation throughout the financial community that the Newhall Land and Farming Co.'s owner is on the verge of bankruptcy, officials with the Valencia builder remained tight-lipped this week. "There's been lots of speculation," Newhall Land spokeswoman Marlee Lauffer said Wednesday. "The owners of our company ... are still in discussions."
City tinkers with artificial turf to save water
In their latest effort to go green, Santa Clarita city officials are tinkering with the city's turf to slim down on the city's water use. Take a second glance at the impeccably-manicured grass on the street median in the middle of Magic Mountain Parkway in Valencia and you'll see a pilot project that could mean converting all of the city's street median mini-lawns to synthetic turf.
Famous choreographer steps out with local dance team
World renowned choreographer Mia Michaels and judge of the Fox TV hit show "So You Think You Can Dance," took a few hours Wednesday to work with more than 60 dancers from the Santa Clarita STARS dance team, which is directed by Holly and Kevin Diaz. The chance for the young dancers ranging in age from 5 to 18, was the culmination of a year's collaboration between Michaels and The Dance Experience dance studio, where ...
Duo comes to rescue of Iwo Jima veteran
An Agua Dulce woman and a fellow "Devil Dog" Marine are among those showing their support for one particular troop - a U.S. Marine who fought at Iwo Jima now asked to pay $4,000 to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Wendy, who asked that her last name not be used, wants to set things right between retired Staff Sgt. Carl Diekman of the U.S. Marines Fifth Division and the federal agency demanding he return $3,936 in overpayments made to him.
News briefs
Cinco de Mayo fest planned in Val Verde A Cinco de Mayo celebration will be held in Val Verde 2-5 p.m. Saturday, at Val Verde Park. The festivities will include a live mariachi band, a taco truck, kids activities, and more, hosted by the Val Verde branch of the Boys and Girls Club and the Val Verde community. Val Verde Park is located at 30300 Arlington Drive. Singer contest entries due today Today at 5 ...
Paramedics end three-day strike
Just days after ambulance drivers walked off the job, the strike is over. A labor agreement between American Medical Response and the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics has tentatively been reached early this morning, according to AMR spokesman Jason Sorrick. The new agreement brings an end to a strike that started on Monday morning in Lancaster and Palmdale by IAEP Locals 77 and 187. "The strike is over," Sorrick said. "Our employees are coming ...
News briefs
Two mountain lions spotted in Newhall Two mountain lions were spotted near the 21300 block of Oakriver Lane of Newhall shortly after 5 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, according to officials at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. While deputies reported that the mountain lion did not pose a threat to local residents, some small bones, apparently belonging to a small domestic animal, was found in the same area as the mountain lion. The California Department ...
Health fair scheduled for Saturday
The city of Santa Clarita and the county will host the second annual Community Health Fair on Saturday at the Santa Clarita Community Center in Newhall.
Hearing for suspect in infant murder postponed
The pretrial conference scheduled for Tuesday in the upcoming criminal trial against Jacqueline Linaras was postponed until June 12, according to Judge Alice Hill of the San Fernando Superior Court. Nearly two years after she was charged with murder and assault on a child for allegedly dumping her dead newborn daughter in a trash bin, Linaras was set to appear in Dept. G of the San Fernando Superior Court on Tuesday for her pretrial conference.
Plan sets aside land around valley's rim
A bill that could lead to expanding the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor is headed to the president's desk after it passed in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday. The Rim of the Valley Corridor Study Act would allow for a study to be conducted to determine the potential impact of expanding the nation's largest urban national park to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor.
Woman arrested for stealing mail
A traffic stop on Sierra Highway turned into an arrest on drug and mail theft-related charges, an official at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station said Tuesday. Sharon Mozo, 29, of North Hollywood, was arrested Monday morning after deputies pulled her over during a routine traffic stop near Sierra Highway and Dolan Way.
Hart: Budget cuts won't hurt pupils
The Hart district was in the process of restructuring its special education program even before the jobs of 30 resource instructional assistants were cut from the district budget, an official with the district said Tuesday. The district governing board voted to eliminate all 30 resource instructional assistant positions in March as part of more than $10 million in cuts that were needed to meet the state's proposed budget require-ments.
Pedophile bill clears hurdle in Legislature
An anti-pedophile bill introduced by Assemblyman Cameron Smyth passed through the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, clearing what his staff calls a "major legislative hurdle." Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, introduced the Surrogate Stalker Act in response to self-proclaimed pedophile Jack McClellan visiting the Santa Clarita Valley in 2007.
News brief
About 243 Valencia residents and Southern California Edison customers went without electricity for more than four hours Sunday night.
Articles by Section - Santa Clarita Valley News
Santa Clarita honors 16 as ‘teen heroes’
Santa Clarita and local government officials recognized 16 local students as Santa Clarita Valley "teen heroes" Thursday night for their courage and determination in the face of adversity.
California Public Utilities Commission panel hears from ratepayers about purchase
Two California Public Utilities Commission hearings about a proposed Valencia Water Company rate hike drew more complaints Thursday about the firm's takeover by another water district than about higher water bills.
Local business taking donations for USO care packages
Flair Cleaners, a family owned business with a location in Valencia, has launched its third annual Flair Care Package Drive in conjunction with the USO of Greater Los Angeles for care packages to be sent to troops.
Princess Cruises becomes commemorative partner for Vietnam anniversary
Princess Cruises held an event Thursday to honor veterans and note the company's selection as a commemorative partner in the nationwide effort to mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War this year.
Women Empowerment Build slated for Saturday
The Santa Clarita and San Fernando charter of Habitat for Humanity will join in the 2013 Women Empowerment Build this Saturday, which will focus on female veterans and those who have experienced loss during wartime.
McKeon says Benghazi is not a political issue
Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, said Thursday that a recent series of controversial topics, such as the inquiry into a terrorist attack on a U.S. embassy in Libya and the investigation into why the Internal Revenue Service applied additional scrutiny to conservative groups, are dominating the discussion on Capitol Hill.
Pit bull attacks second dog in Sand Canyon
A roaming pit bull that ripped the leg off of a smaller dog in Canyon Country is expected to be humanely killed, a county official said Thursday.
UPDATE: Traffic collision blocks I-5 lanes nearly 3 hours
Two lanes of southbound Interstate 5 near Hasley Canyon Road were closed for almost three hours Thursday afternoon after two big rigs collided, blocking traffic and scattering debris in the area, a California Highway Patrol official said.
UPDATE: Hart district to appoint new board member
Members of the William S. Hart Union High School District board will appoint someone to replace former board member Paul Strickland, rather than holding a special election for the seat.
UPDATE: Fire burns 3,500 acres in Calif. national forest
FRAZIER PARK, Calif. (AP) - Cooler temperatures and lighter winds gave hundreds of firefighters a slight reprieve Thursday from a 3,500-acre wildfire that has blackened rugged terrain in the Los Padres National Forest.
Two Fox bills approved in Assembly
(SACRAMENTO) Assemblymember Steve Fox (D-Palmdale) today announced that Assembly Bills (AB) 588 and 631 were approved by the State Assembly with broad bipartisan support. The bills address protection of student athletes and enhance core education for children in juvenile court schools. Both measures passed by a margin of 70-0, and now advance to the Senate.
Mountain lion stuck in Calif aqueduct tranquilized
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) - Police say a young mountain lion that was trapped in an aqueduct near downtown Santa Cruz has been tranquilized.
UPDATE: Names of victim, suspect released in Acton homicide
Investigators probing a homicide in Acton have released the identities of the man who was shot and killed and the name of his alleged killer.
Acton-Agua Dulce district to vote on Einstein Academy charter tonight
Members of the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District board will vote tonight on whether to approve two charter petitions that would allow the Albert Einstein Academy for Letters, Arts and Science to open two schools in the district next year.
Boydston challenges chloride data
Santa Clarita City Councilman TimBen Boydston called the whole issue of chloride cleanup a scam Wednesday night after local sanitation officials presented their plan for reducing how much of the salty compound the sanitation district discharges into the Santa Clara River.
